"The Secret Service's solemn mission is to protect our nation's leaders. On July 13th, we failed," said Kimberly Cheatle on Capitol Hill on Monday, assuming responsibility for the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump a week and a half earlier.
The U.S. Secret Service Director was grilled for hours before the House Oversight Committee for the incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, with many politicians, including Arizona Congressmen Ruben Gallego and Andy Biggs, calling for her resignation.
Queen Creek resident Atlas Aultman, a retired Air Force Officer in the Department of Defense, says the blame is clearly situated on the shoulders of the Secret Service.
"What happened shouldn't have happened," stated Aultman. "There should have never been a shot on anyone who is running for office."
The Air Force veteran spent years in the White House Communications Agency during the Obama administration, and said, "My part was to make sure that the military elements fell in with the Secret Service."
The goal of the protective agencies is to effectively "move the White House" and its safety perimeters alongside the commander-in-chief's every step. Aultman said he spent years coordinating with the Secret Service to safely move former President Obama to different events and campaign rallies just like the one Trump was shot at on July 13.
"You'll hear that Secret Service goes out in advance of the President. That's how we know he's going to go someplace. We're going to get there before he does, set it all up for him, make sure there's a security bubble around him, which is what we're all talking about now."
While public scrutiny of the attempted assassination grows, Aultman isn't as quick to harshly criticize.
"Mike Tyson says it this way, 'Everyone's got a plan until they get punched in the mouth.' Secret Service just got punched in the mouth."
The Air Force veteran claimed the agency planned for the event appropriately but executed it poorly.
In her testimony, Cheatle confirmed to members of Congress that Thomas Crooks shot at the former president from a roof approximately 200 yards away — a building that was occupied by local law enforcement.
Rep. Nick Langworthy, asked: "Director, yes or no, did local law enforcement alert Secret Service of Crooks's presence at the rally?"
She responded, "Yes, they did."
Aultman said conversations about expanding the Secret Service perimeters at presidential events are likely ongoing, behind closed doors, during this investigation.
The former White House Communications Agency leader shared that a lack of resources has been an ongoing issue in the agency, affecting staffing levels and the agency's ability to effectively do its job. Politicians across the aisle are now calling for Cheatle's resignation, a sentiment Aultman does not share.
The Queen Creek resident thought carefully, then responded, "Changing leadership in the midst of chaos only introduces more chaos."
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